W.Va. Halts New Voting Machines
JOSELYN KING - September 24, 2008
WHEELING - Ohio and Hancock county officials wanted more voting machines in time for the Nov. 4 general election, but the West Virginia Elections Commission has opted not to certify the new devices.
At question are new parts and modifications within the machines now being manufactured by Elections Systems and Software of Chicago, the state's vendor for touchscreen voting equipment. The changes have not yet been reviewed and approved by commission members.
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24 September 2008
17 September 2008
Voter Database Glitches Could Disenfranchise Thousands
Kim Zetter - 09.17.08
Electronic voting machines have been the focus of much controversy the last few years. But another election technology has received little scrutiny yet could create numerous problems and disenfranchise thousands of voters in November, election experts say.
This year marks the first time that new, statewide, centralized voter-registration databases will be used in a federal election in a number of states.
The databases were mandated in the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which required all election districts in a state or U.S. territory to consolidate their lists into a single database electronically accessible to every election office in the state or territory.
But the databases, some created by the same companies that make electronic voting machines, aren't federally tested or certified and some have been plagued by missed deadlines, rushed production schedules, cost overruns, security problems, and design and reliability issues.
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Kim Zetter - 09.17.08
Electronic voting machines have been the focus of much controversy the last few years. But another election technology has received little scrutiny yet could create numerous problems and disenfranchise thousands of voters in November, election experts say.
This year marks the first time that new, statewide, centralized voter-registration databases will be used in a federal election in a number of states.
The databases were mandated in the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which required all election districts in a state or U.S. territory to consolidate their lists into a single database electronically accessible to every election office in the state or territory.
But the databases, some created by the same companies that make electronic voting machines, aren't federally tested or certified and some have been plagued by missed deadlines, rushed production schedules, cost overruns, security problems, and design and reliability issues.
Read More >>
10 September 2008
Ohio Voter Caging in Play Despite Directive
David Rosenfeld | September 10, 2008
A change in the law may be needed to protect Ohioans from voter caging.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Monday called on state legislative leaders to act quickly before Election Day to amend a two-year-old voter challenge statute set to expire at year's end because, she said, it's unconstitutional.
On Friday, Brunner clarified the law in a formal directive, calling on election officials to prohibit the use of returned mail —including a state-sponsored 60-day election notice sent out Friday — as the sole basis for canceling a voter's registration.
But the returned mailers, and others like them, can still be used in part by partisans to challenge a voter's eligibility — known as voter caging — along with other factors, Ohio spokesman Kevin Kidder said.
In 2004, Republicans challenged 36,000 Ohio voters based on returned mail and 77,000 voters from 2004 to 2007 nationwide. Voter rights advocates are watching for similar mailers in other states that may be going out this month to set the stage for a repeat performance.
The other aspect of Brunner's Friday directive restored due process to the voter challenge rules. Current law allows election boards to cancel voter registrations as a result of partisan challenges without first notifying voters or offering a chance to contest the cancellation before an election judge. Instead, Brunner directed county election boards, each composed of four bi-partisan members, to do so.
Since 2005, these same concerns were voiced repeatedly by voting rights groups in Ohio when the law passed. At the time, the Ohio secretary of State was Republican Kenneth Blackwell; Brunner, a Democrat, took office in January 2007.
Attorneys for the nonprofit Advancement Project, which works closely on election integrity in Ohio, contend that Brunner didn't go far enough. While the group commends her effort to restore due process, they called on her to prohibit partisan challenges — known as voter caging — altogether.
"She should have directed counties that challenges based on returned mail should be denied on their face," according to the group's press release.
In response, Kidder said that Brunner stands by her directive. "She's made an honest effort to address these concerns. She's provided due process to protect the voters of Ohio," he said.
Read More >>
David Rosenfeld | September 10, 2008
A change in the law may be needed to protect Ohioans from voter caging.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Monday called on state legislative leaders to act quickly before Election Day to amend a two-year-old voter challenge statute set to expire at year's end because, she said, it's unconstitutional.
On Friday, Brunner clarified the law in a formal directive, calling on election officials to prohibit the use of returned mail —including a state-sponsored 60-day election notice sent out Friday — as the sole basis for canceling a voter's registration.
But the returned mailers, and others like them, can still be used in part by partisans to challenge a voter's eligibility — known as voter caging — along with other factors, Ohio spokesman Kevin Kidder said.
In 2004, Republicans challenged 36,000 Ohio voters based on returned mail and 77,000 voters from 2004 to 2007 nationwide. Voter rights advocates are watching for similar mailers in other states that may be going out this month to set the stage for a repeat performance.
The other aspect of Brunner's Friday directive restored due process to the voter challenge rules. Current law allows election boards to cancel voter registrations as a result of partisan challenges without first notifying voters or offering a chance to contest the cancellation before an election judge. Instead, Brunner directed county election boards, each composed of four bi-partisan members, to do so.
Since 2005, these same concerns were voiced repeatedly by voting rights groups in Ohio when the law passed. At the time, the Ohio secretary of State was Republican Kenneth Blackwell; Brunner, a Democrat, took office in January 2007.
Attorneys for the nonprofit Advancement Project, which works closely on election integrity in Ohio, contend that Brunner didn't go far enough. While the group commends her effort to restore due process, they called on her to prohibit partisan challenges — known as voter caging — altogether.
"She should have directed counties that challenges based on returned mail should be denied on their face," according to the group's press release.
In response, Kidder said that Brunner stands by her directive. "She's made an honest effort to address these concerns. She's provided due process to protect the voters of Ohio," he said.
Read More >>
05 September 2008
Update: Ohio Removes Vote Caging Possibility
Ohio directive issued Friday says 60-day notice can't be used to challenge voters.
David Rosenfeld | September 05, 2008
UPDATE: Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner took decisive action on Friday to clarify and amend the state's voter challenge law with particular aim at a contentious statewide mailer, which Miller-McCune.com reported Friday, the same day the notices went out and Brunner issued her directive. (The original Miller-McCune.com story, which appeared under the headline "Nearly 600,000 Subject to Possible Caging in Ohio," appears below.)
In the Sept. 5 directive to county boards of elections, Brunner said that no voter shall lose the right to vote based solely on the state's 60-day non-forwarded notice having returned to election officials as non-deliverable. Voter rights advocates worry that the returned notices would give Republicans the means to level mass challenges against thousands of Ohio voters similar to what occurred in 2004.
It remains unclear whether the non-deliverable notices could be used in part to challenge voters along with other indicators.
Brunner acknowledged returned mail does not provide a reasonable basis for proving someone moved. She also indicated her belief that returned notices often disproportionately impact the poor and minorities.
Read More >>
Ohio directive issued Friday says 60-day notice can't be used to challenge voters.
David Rosenfeld | September 05, 2008
UPDATE: Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner took decisive action on Friday to clarify and amend the state's voter challenge law with particular aim at a contentious statewide mailer, which Miller-McCune.com reported Friday, the same day the notices went out and Brunner issued her directive. (The original Miller-McCune.com story, which appeared under the headline "Nearly 600,000 Subject to Possible Caging in Ohio," appears below.)
In the Sept. 5 directive to county boards of elections, Brunner said that no voter shall lose the right to vote based solely on the state's 60-day non-forwarded notice having returned to election officials as non-deliverable. Voter rights advocates worry that the returned notices would give Republicans the means to level mass challenges against thousands of Ohio voters similar to what occurred in 2004.
It remains unclear whether the non-deliverable notices could be used in part to challenge voters along with other indicators.
Brunner acknowledged returned mail does not provide a reasonable basis for proving someone moved. She also indicated her belief that returned notices often disproportionately impact the poor and minorities.
Read More >>
03 September 2008
3,400 Ballots Missing in Florida Election: Recount Flips Race
Kim Zetter - Sep 03 2008
Palm Beach County, Florida, is in the news again for another election mishap. This time the culprit isn't the county's infamous butterfly ballot that made headlines in the 2000 presidential race. Instead, the problem is ballots used with the county's new $5.5 million optical-scan machines made by Sequoia Voting Systems.
More than 3,000 optical-scan ballots have mysteriously disappeared since the county held an election last Tuesday.
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Kim Zetter - Sep 03 2008
Palm Beach County, Florida, is in the news again for another election mishap. This time the culprit isn't the county's infamous butterfly ballot that made headlines in the 2000 presidential race. Instead, the problem is ballots used with the county's new $5.5 million optical-scan machines made by Sequoia Voting Systems.
More than 3,000 optical-scan ballots have mysteriously disappeared since the county held an election last Tuesday.
Read More >>
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